France take on Belgium in the 1/8-finals of UEFA Euro-2024. The match will be played on Monday, July 1st at Merkur Spiel-Arena (Düsseldorf).
Only the lazy haven't criticized the French for their performance in the group stage of the Euros. Yes, they beat Austria (1-0) in their usual style. Yes, they managed a draw with the Netherlands, which is not the worst result. But how could the current World Cup runners-up fail to beat the unmotivated Poles in the final group match? It's beyond comprehension. But let's not panic. We, as spectators, want exciting football, and I too am among those who criticize this French team. But Deschamps knows what he’s doing; he’s an experienced coach. Yes, he might be too pragmatic, but should we criticize him for that if the team achieves results? I think not. In crucial moments, Didier knows how to prepare his players for specific matchups. I don't believe the French will be eliminated in the Round of 16 for the second consecutive Euro. In the match against Belgium, they are the favorites. And not just because they have a stellar lineup, but also because the opponent’s play raises many questions.
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Some players from that generation remain, but now the team is undergoing a partial rejuvenation. The old stars are not eternal and are significantly declining, and not many new ones are emerging. Right now, the "Red Fury" is not as formidable a force as it was in the last Euros or the World Cup in Qatar. Yes, they qualified for the major tournament with ease, as usual. But in the first round of the group stage, they sensationally lost to Slovakia (0-1), which then failed to beat either Romania or a struggling Ukraine. Slovakia, which barely edged out Luxembourg in the Euro qualifiers and lost both matches to Portugal. Yes, Belgium then woke up and beat Romania (2-0). But they were the only team in the tournament that couldn’t break through Ukraine’s shaky defense (a 0-0 draw). In my opinion, the Belgians deserve even more criticism for their performance than the French, and they have much less chance of success in the Round of 16.
This is the most intriguing matchup of the Round of 16 in terms of billing! Many believe that the teams have roughly equal chances of success in this contest. I disagree, because with all due respect to the Belgians, France is the favorite here. Although I am also among those who criticize them for their dull and lackluster performance in the group stage. But from previous major tournaments, we know that Deschamps' pragmatic team knows how to step up when it matters. After all, they reached the finals in the last two World Cups and only exited the last Euros in a penalty shootout, which was a surprise. By the way, at the World Cup in Russia, I think the charming Belgians had much better chances to get past France, but they fell into Deschamps' trap and lost (0-1). And in the most recent encounter (in 2021), they lost to France in the semifinals of the Nations League (2-3). Since then, the "Red Devils" have certainly weakened, while their opponent has not lost a step and remains a favorite in all tournaments. My prediction is a home win for France in regular time.
Prediction for the match: France to win.
